The top-fruit industry in New Zealand is setting new quality standards for its fruit in the up-coming season, in response to fears that quality has been compromised following the abandonment of single-desk marketing.
“Since deregulation there has been criticism of the grade and quality standards of export pipfruit,” said Peter Beaven, ceo of industry body Pipfruit New Zealand.
The code, which features best practice guidelines and a harvest decision tree, covers production, harvest, cool-chain and packaging.
“There have been claims there has been a lowering of fruit standards and this tends to be supported by the fact extraction rates for export are up by 10 per cent since deregulation,” said Beaven.
He admitted that too much fruit of marginal quality was ending up in export cartons. “Given we are working in a deregulated market the standards we set are not compulsory, but we are making a serious commitment to our customers,” he added.
The guidelines have been codified and are very much grower-focused rather than post-harvest. “It is too late when the fruit arrives at the packhouse,” said Beaven. “Quality must begin on the tree and when growers are making their harvest decisions.”
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